abolitionist–blockade runner
A
abolitionist a person who strongly favors doing away with
slavery (p. 418)
abstain to not take part in some activity, such as voting
(p. 439)
adobe a sun-dried mud brick used to build the homes of
some Native Americans (p. 32)
affirmative action an active effort to improve educational
and employment opportunities for minority groups
and women (p. 902)
affluence the state of having much wealth (p. 822)
airlift a system of transporting food and supplies by aircraft
into an area otherwise impossible to reach (p. 792)
alien an immigrant living in a country in which he or she
is not a citizen (p. 271)
allege state as a fact but without proof (p. 808)
alliance a close association of nations or other groups,
formed to advance common interests or causes
(p.122)
alliance system defense agreements among nations (p. 667)
ambush a surprise attack (p. 187)
amendment an addition to a formal document such as the
Constitution (pp. 213, 221)
American System policies devised by Henry Clay to stimulate the growth of industry (p. 324)
amnesty the granting of pardon to a large number of
persons; protection from prosecution for an illegal act
(pp. 501, 907)
anarchist person who believes that there should be no
government (p. 701)
anarchy disorder and lawlessness (p. 658)
annex to add a territory to one’s own territory (p. 367)
annexation bringing an area under the control of a larger
country (p. 645)
Antifederalists individuals who opposed ratification of the
Constitution (p. 212)
anti-Semitism hostility toward or discrimination against
Jews (p. 753)
apartheid racial separation and economic and political
discrimination against nonwhites, a policy formerly
practiced in the Republic of South Africa (p. 912)
appeasement accepting demands in order to avoid conflict
(p. 755)
apprentice assistant who is assigned to learn the trade of a
skilled craftsman (p. 112)
appropriate to set something aside for a particular purpose,
especially funds (p. 223)
arbitration settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider (p. 621)
archaeology the study of ancient peoples (p. 17)
armistice a temporary peace agreement to end fighting
(pp. 652, 680)
1006
Glossary
arms race the competition between the United States and
the Soviet Union to build more and more weapons in
an effort to surpass the other’s military strength (p. 817)
arsenal a storage place for weapons and ammunition
(p. 448)
article a part of a document, such as the Constitution, that
deals with a single subject (p. 209)
artifact an item left behind by early people that represents
their culture (p. 17)
assembly line a production system with machines and
workers arranged so that each person performs an
assigned task again and again as the item passes
before him or her (p. 565)
assimilate to absorb a group into the culture of a larger
population (p. 585)
astrolabe an instrument used by sailors to observe positions of stars (p. 40)
autocracy government in which one person has unlimited
power (p. 675)
automation a system or process that uses mechanical or
electronic devices that replace human workers (p. 830)
B
baby boom a marked increase in the birthrate, especially in
the United States immediately following World War II
(p. 822)
backcountry a region of hills and forests west of the Tidewater (p. 105)
balance of power the distribution of power among nations
so that no single nation can dominate or interfere with
another (pp. 667, 897)
bankruptcy the condition of being unable to pay one’s
debts; one’s property is managed or sold to pay those
to whom one owes money (p. 933)
barrio a Spanish-speaking neighborhood in a city, especially in the southwest U.S. (p. 633)
bicameral consisting of two houses, or chambers, especially in a legislature (p. 193)
black codes laws passed in the South just after the Civil
War aimed at controlling freedmen and enabling plantation owners to exploit African American workers
(p. 505)
blacklist list of persons who are disapproved of and are
punished, such as by being refused jobs (p. 807)
blitzkrieg name given to the sudden, violent offensive
attacks the Germans used during World War II; “lightning war” (p. 759)
blockade cut off an area by means of troops or warships to
stop supplies or people from coming in or going out;
to close off a country’s ports (pp. 179, 463, 869)
blockade runner ship that sails into and out of a blockaded
area (p. 468)
bond–convoy
bond a note issued by the government, which promises to
pay off a loan with interest (p. 261)
boomtown a community experiencing a sudden growth in
business or population (p. 376)
border ruffians Missourians who traveled in armed groups
to vote in Kansas’s election during the mid-1850s
(p. 443)
border states the states between the North and the South
that were divided over whether to stay in the Union or
join the Confederacy (p. 461)
bounty money given as a reward, such as to encourage
enlistment in the army (p. 482)
boycott to refuse to buy items from a particular country
(p. 134); to refuse to use in order to show disapproval
or force acceptance of one’s terms (p. 841)
brand a symbol burned into an animal’s hide to show
ownership (p. 534)
budget deficit the amount by which government spending
exceeds revenue (p. 937)
bureaucracy system in which nonelected officials carry out
laws and policies (p. 337)
burgesses elected representatives to an assembly (p. 73)
C
Glossary
1007
Glossary
cabinet a group of advisers to the president (p. 259)
Californios Mexicans who lived in California (p. 373)
canal an artificial waterway (p. 318)
capital money for investment (pp. 308, 399)
capitalism an economic system based on private property
and free enterprise (pp. 308, 701)
caravel small, fast ship with a broad bow (p. 40)
carbon dating a scientific method used to determine the age
of an artifact (p. 19)
carpetbaggers name given to Northern whites who moved
South after the Civil War and supported the
Republicans (p. 510)
cash crop farm crop raised to be sold for money (pp. 103,
518)
casualty a military person killed, wounded, or captured
(p. 469)
caucus a meeting held by a political party to choose their
party’s candidate for president or decide policy
(pp. 269, 337)
cede to give up by treaty (p. 374)
censure to express formal disapproval of some action
(p. 809)
census official count of a population (p. 314)
charter a document that gives the holder the right to
organize settlements in an area (p. 71)
charter colony colony established by a group of settlers
who had been given a formal document allowing
them to settle (p. 110)
checks and balances the system in which each branch
of government has a check on the other two
branches so that no one branch becomes too powerful
(p. 210)
circumnavigate to sail around the world (p. 49)
citizen a person who owes loyalty to and is entitled to the
protection of a state or nation (p. 229)
civil disobedience refusal to obey laws that are considered
unjust as a nonviolent way to press for changes
(p. 842)
civil service the body of nonelected government workers
(p. 612)
civil war conflict between opposing groups of citizens of
the same country (p. 444)
civilization a highly developed culture, usually with organized religions and laws (p. 22)
classical relating to ancient Greece and Rome (p. 39)
clipper ship a fast sailing ship with slender lines, tall masts,
and large square sails (p. 387)
closed shop a workplace in which the employer by agreement hires only union members (p. 798)
coeducation the teaching of male and female students
together (p. 427)
cold war a struggle over political differences between
nations carried on by methods short of war (p. 792)
collective bargaining discussion between an employer and
union representatives of workers over wages, hours,
and working conditions (p. 574)
Columbian Exchange exchange of goods, ideas, and people
between Europe and the Americas (p. 60)
commission a group of persons directed to perform some
duty (p. 516)
committee of correspondence an organization that spread
political ideas through the colonies (p. 137)
compromise agreement between two or more sides in
which each side gives up some of what it wants (p. 204)
concurrent powers powers shared by the states and the federal government (p. 219)
Conestoga wagon sturdy vehicle topped with white canvas
and used by pioneers to move west (p. 283)
conquistador Spanish explorer in the Americas in the 1500s
(p. 51)
conservation the protection and preservation of natural
resources (p. 622)
consolidation the practice of combining separate companies into one (p. 557)
constituents people that members of Congress represent
(p. 223)
constitution a formal plan of government (pp. 89, 193)
containment the policy or process of preventing the expansion of a hostile power (p. 791)
convoy a group that travels with something, such as a ship,
to protect it (p. 678)
cooperative–entrenched
cooperative store where farmers bought products from
each other; an enterprise owned and operated by
those who use its services (p. 549)
corporation a business in which investors own shares
(p. 568)
corruption dishonest or illegal actions (p. 510)
cotton gin a machine that removed seeds from cotton fiber
(pp. 308, 398)
counterculture a social movement whose values go against
those of established society (p. 878)
counter-terrorism military or political activities intended to
combat terrorism (p. 949)
coup a sudden overthrow of a government by a small
group (pp. 873, 930)
coureur de bois French trapper living among Native
Americans (p. 62)
court-martial to try by a military court (p. 326)
credibility gap lack of belief; a term used to describe the
lack of trust in the Johnson administration’s statements about the Vietnam War (p. 879)
credit a form of loan; ability to buy goods based on future
payment (p. 403)
culture a way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs (p. 19)
customs duties taxes on foreign imported goods (p. 280)
ustoms duties taxes on foreign
D imported goods (p. 280)
Glossary
D-Day the day on which the Allied forces invaded France
during World War II; June 6, 1944 (pp. 772, 774)
debtor person or country that owes money (p. 90)
decree an order given by one in authority (p. 364)
default to fail to meet an obligation, especially a financial
one (p. 726)
deferment an excuse, issued by the draft board, that lets a
person be excused from military service for various
reasons (p. 878)
deficit the shortage that occurs when spending is greater
than income (p. 903)
demilitarize to remove armed forces from an area (p. 326)
demilitarized zone a region where no military forces or
weapons are permitted (p. 805)
deport to send out of a country aliens who are considered
dangerous (p. 701)
depreciate to fall in value (p. 197)
depression a period of low economic activity and widespread unemployment (pp. 199, 350)
deregulation the act of cutting the restrictions and regulations that government places on business (p. 923)
desert to leave without permission (p. 173)
détente a policy which attempts to relax or ease tensions
between nations (p. 897)
dictator a leader who rules with total authority, often in a
cruel or brutal manner (p. 753)
1008
Glossary
disarmament removal of weapons (pp. 326, 761)
discrimination unfair treatment of a group; unequal treatment because of a person’s race, religion, ethnic background, or place of birth (pp. 392, 628)
dissent disagreement with or opposition to an opinion
(pp. 76, 685)
diversity variety or difference (p. 104)
dividend a stockholder’s share of a company’s profits,
usually as a cash payment (p. 568)
dollar diplomacy a policy of joining the business interests
of a country with its diplomatic interests abroad
(p. 659)
domestic tranquility maintaining peace within the nation
(p. 217)
domino theory the belief that if one nation in Asia fell to the
Communists, neighboring countries would follow
(pp. 819, 873)
dove a person who opposes war or warlike policies, such
as one who opposed the Vietnam War (p. 878)
draft the selection of persons for military service (p. 481)
drought a long period of time with little rainfall (p. 29)
dry farming a way of farming dry land in which seeds are
planted deep in ground where there is some moisture
(p. 539)
due process of law idea that the government must follow
procedures established by law and guaranteed by the
Constitution (p. 228)
Dust Bowl the name given to the area of the southern Great
Plains severely damaged by droughts and dust storms
during the 1930s (p. 736)
E
effigy rag figure representing an unpopular individual
(p. 134)
Electoral College a special group of voters selected by their
state’s voters to vote for the president and vice president (p. 210)
emancipate to free from slavery (p. 475)
embargo an order prohibiting trade with another country
(pp. 290, 899)
emigrant a person who leaves a country or region to live
elsewhere (p. 358)
emigrate to leave one’s homeland to live elsewhere (p. 583)
empresario a person who arranged for the settlement of
land in Texas during the 1800s (p. 363)
encomienda system of rewarding conquistadors with tracts
of land and the right to tax and demand labor from
Native Americans who lived on the land (p. 55)
Enlightenment movement during the 1700s that spread the
idea that knowledge, reason, and science could
improve society (p. 208)
entente an understanding between nations (p. 667)
entrenched occupying a strong defensive position (p. 486)
enumerated powers–hieroglyphics
enumerated powers powers belonging only to the federal
government (p. 219)
escalate to increase or expand (p. 874)
espionage spying (p. 686)
ethnic group a minority that speaks a different language or
follows different customs than the majority of people
in a country (pp. 583, 667)
evolution the scientific theory that humans and other living things have evolved over time (p. 718)
executive branch the branch of government, headed by the
president, that carries out the nation’s laws and policies (p. 210)
executive order a rule issued by a chief executive that has
the force of law (p. 867)
exile a person forced to leave his or her country (p. 868)
expansionism a policy that calls for expanding a nation’s
boundaries (p. 639)
expatriate a person who gives up his or her home country
and chooses to live in another country (p. 716)
export to sell goods abroad (p. 109)
F
G
genocide the deliberate destruction of a racial, political, or
cultural group (p. 775)
ghetto a part of a city in which a minority group lives
because of social or economic pressure (p. 830)
ghost town former mining town that became deserted
(p. 530)
Gilded Age the name associated with America in the late
1800s, referring to the extravagant wealth of a few and
the terrible poverty that lay underneath (p. 592)
glasnost a Soviet policy allowing more open discussion of
political and social issues, as well as more widespread
news and information (p. 925)
global warming a steady increase in average world temperatures (p. 944)
grandfather clause a clause that allowed individuals who
did not pass the literacy test to vote if their fathers or
grandfathers had voted before Reconstruction began;
an exception to a law based on preexisting circumstances (p. 519)
grassroots society at the local and popular level away from
political or cultural centers (p. 936)
greenback a piece of U.S. paper money first issued by the
North during the Civil War (p. 483)
gross domestic product the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation during a one-year period
(p. 938)
gross national product the total value of all goods and services produced by a nation’s residents during a year,
regardless of where production takes place (p. 709)
guerrilla tactics referring to surprise attacks or raids rather
than organized warfare (p. 344)
guerrilla warfare a hit-and-run technique used in fighting a
war; fighting by small bands of warriors using tactics
such as sudden ambushes (pp. 180, 867)
H
habeas corpus a legal order for an inquiry to determine
whether a person has been lawfully imprisoned
(p. 481)
hawk a person who advocates war or warlike policies,
such as a supporter of the Vietnam War (p. 878)
hieroglyphics an ancient form of writing using symbols
and pictures to represent words, sounds, and concepts (p. 24)
Glossary
1009
Glossary
factory system system bringing manufacturing steps
together in one place to increase efficiency (p. 309)
famine an extreme shortage of food (p. 393)
fascism a political system, headed by a dictator, that calls
for extreme nationalism and racism and no tolerance
of opposition (p. 753)
favorite son candidate that receives the backing of his
home state rather than of the national party (p. 335)
federal debt the amount of money owed by the government (p. 924)
federalism the sharing of power between federal and state
governments (pp. 208, 219)
Federalists supporters of the Constitution (p. 211)
federation a type of government that links different groups
together (p. 33)
feminist a person who advocates or is active in promoting
women’s rights (p. 857)
fixed costs regular expenses such as housing or maintaining equipment that remain about the same year after
year (p. 403)
flapper a young woman of the 1920s who defied conventions in her behavior and dress (p. 714)
flexible response a plan that used special military units to
fight guerrilla wars (p. 867)
forty-niners people who went to California during the gold
rush of 1849 (p. 375)
Fourteen Points the peace plan to end World War I and
restructure the countries of Europe, proposed by
Woodrow Wilson (p. 689)
free enterprise the freedom of private businesses to operate
competitively for profit with minimal government
regulation (p. 308)
free silver the unlimited production of silver coins (p. 550)
freedman a person freed from slavery (p. 502)
frigate warship (p. 297)
front a region where warfare is taking place (p. 679)
fugitive runaway or trying to run away (p. 438)
fundamentalist a person who believes in the literal meaning
of religious texts and strict obedience to religious laws
(p. 913)
Hispanic–laissez-faire
Hispanic a person from or descended from people who
came from the countries of Latin America or Spain
(p. 858)
Holocaust the name given to the mass slaughter of Jews
and other groups by the Nazis during World War II
(p. 776)
homestead to acquire a piece of U.S. public land by living
on and cultivating it (p. 537)
horizontal integration the combining of competing firms
into one corporation (p. 569)
hot line a direct telephone line for emergency use
(p. 870)
human rights rights regarded as belonging to all persons,
such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution (p. 912)
Hundred Days a special session of Congress that dealt with
problems of the Depression (p. 732)
I
Glossary
Ice Age a period of extremely cold temperatures when part
of the planet’s surface was covered with massive ice
sheets (p. 17)
impeach to formally charge a public official with misconduct in office (pp. 223, 507, 938)
impeachment charging a public official with misconduct in
office; if proven guilty before a designated court, the
official is removed from office (p. 906)
imperialism the actions used by one nation to exercise
political or economic control over smaller or weaker
nations (p. 640)
implied powers powers not specifically mentioned in the
Constitution (pp. 221, 268)
import to buy goods from foreign markets (p. 109)
impressment forcing people into service, as in the navy
(pp. 265, 290)
incumbent someone who currently holds an office or position (p. 939)
indentured servant laborer who agreed to work without
pay for a certain period of time in exchange for passage to America (p. 87)
Industrial Revolution the change from an agrarian society to
one based on industry which began in Great Britain
and spread to the United States around 1800 (p. 307)
inflation a continuous rise in the price of goods and services (pp. 175, 483, 796)
initiative the right of citizens to place a measure or issue
before the voters or the legislature for approval
(p. 614)
injunction a court order to stop an action, such as a strike
(p. 575)
installment buying a system of paying for goods in which
customers promise to pay small, regular amounts over
a period of time (p. 711)
1010
Glossary
integrate to end separation of different races and bring into
equal membership in society (pp. 512, 840)
interchangeable parts uniform pieces that can be made in
large quantities to replace other identical pieces
(p. 309)
internal improvements federal projects, such as canals and
roads, to develop the nation’s transportation system
(p. 322)
Internet a worldwide linking of computer networks (p. 943)
internment camps the detention centers where Japanese
Americans were moved to and confined during World
War II (p. 768)
interstate across state lines; connecting or existing between
two or more states (p. 849)
iron curtain the political and military barrier that
isolated Soviet-controlled countries of Eastern Europe
after World War II (p. 790)
ironclad armored naval vessel (p. 468)
Iroquois Confederacy a powerful group of Native
Americans in the eastern part of the United States
made up of five nations: the Mohawk, Seneca,
Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oneida (p. 117)
island hopping a strategy used during World War II that
called for attacking and capturing certain key islands
and using these islands as bases to leapfrog to others
(p. 779)
isolationism a national policy of avoiding involvement in
world affairs (pp. 639, 707)
isthmus a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land
areas (p. 657)
J
joint occupation the possession and settling of an
area shared by two or more countries (p. 357)
joint-stock company a company in which investors buy
stock in the company in return for a share of its future
profits (p. 71)
judicial branch the branch of government, including the
federal court system, that interprets the nation’s laws
(p. 210)
judicial review the right of the Supreme Court to determine
if a law violates the Constitution (pp. 222, 281)
K
kamikaze during World War II, a Japanese suicide pilot
whose mission was to crash into his target (p. 779)
L
laissez-faire policy that government should interfere as little as possible in the nation’s economy (pp. 279, 350,
621)
land-grant college–National Grange
M
maize an early form of corn grown by Native Americans
(p. 19)
majority more than half (p. 335)
Manifest Destiny the idea popular in the United States during the 1800s that the country must expand its boundaries to the Pacific (p. 360)
manumission the freeing of some enslaved persons (p. 201)
martial law the law applied by military forces in occupied
territory or in an emergency (p. 887)
martyr a person who sacrifices his or her life for a principle or cause (p. 448)
mass media types of communication that reach large numbers of people, such as newspapers, radio, and television (p. 714)
mass production the production of large quantities of goods
using machinery and often an assembly line (p. 566)
materialism attaching too much importance to physical
possessions and comforts (p. 830)
Mayflower Compact a formal document, written in 1620,
that provided law and order to the Plymouth colony
(p. 77)
Medicaid a social program that gives the states money to
help those who cannot afford to pay for their hospital
bills (p. 847)
Medicare a social program that helps pay for medical care
for the elderly (p. 847)
mercantilism the theory that a state’s or nation’s power
depended on its wealth (pp. 59, 109)
mercenary paid soldier who serves in the army of a foreign
country (p. 164)
merger the combining of two or more businesses into one
(p. 571)
MIAs soldiers classified as missing in action (p. 889)
migrant worker a person who moves from place to place to
find work harvesting fruits and vegetables (p. 737)
migration a movement of a large number of people into a
new homeland (p. 17)
militarism a buildup of military strength within a country
(p. 667)
militia a group of civilians trained to fight in emergencies
(pp. 118, 142)
minutemen companies of civilian soldiers who boasted
that they were ready to fight on a minute’s notice
(p. 142)
mission religious settlement (pp. 54, 92)
mobilization gathering resources and preparing for war
(pp. 683, 765)
moderate opposed to major social change or extreme political ideas (p. 815)
monopoly total control of a type of industry by one person
or one company (p. 570)
Morse code a system for transmitting messages that uses a
series of dots and dashes to represent the letters of the
alphabet, numbers, and punctuation (p. 389)
mosque a Muslim house of worship (p. 42)
mountain man a frontiersman living in the wilderness, as in
the Rocky Mountains (p. 357)
muckraker a journalist who uncovers abuses and corruption in a society (p. 613)
mudslinging attempt to ruin an opponent’s reputation with
insults (p. 336)
N
national debt the amount of money a national government
owes to other governments or its people (p. 260)
National Grange the first farmers’ organization in the
United States (p. 549)
Glossary
1011
Glossary
land-grant college originally, an agricultural college established as a result of the 1862 Morrill Act that gave
states large amounts of federal land that could be sold
to raise money for education (p. 598)
landslide an overwhelming victory (p. 336)
League of Nations an association of nations to preserve
peace and resolve international disputes proposed in
Wilson’s Fourteen Points (p. 689)
lease to hand over property in return for rent (p. 705)
legislative branch the branch of government that makes the
nation’s laws (p. 209)
lend-lease the act passed during World War II allowing the
United States to sell, lend, or lease arms or other war
supplies to any nation considered “vital to the defense
of the United States” (p. 761)
line of demarcation an imaginary line running down the
middle of the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to
the South Pole dividing the Americas between Spain
and Portugal (p. 47)
line-item veto the power that allows the president to cancel
individual spending items in a budget or bill (p. 937)
literacy the ability to read and write (p. 113)
literacy test a method used to prevent African Americans
from voting by requiring prospective voters to read
and write at a specified level (p. 519)
lock in a canal, an enclosure with gates at each end used in
raising or lowering boats as they pass from level to
level (p. 318)
lode a mass or strip of ore sandwiched between layers of
rock (p. 529)
log cabin campaign name given to William Henry
Harrison’s campaign for the presidency in 1840, from
the Whigs’ use of a log cabin as their symbol (p. 351)
Loyalists American colonists who remained loyal to Britain
and opposed the war for independence (p. 145)
lynching putting to death a person by the illegal action of a
mob (p. 520)
nationalism–prejudice
Glossary
nationalism loyalty to a nation and promotion of its interests above all others (pp. 293, 667)
nativism the belief that those born in a country are superior to immigrants (p. 717)
nativist a person who favors those born in his country and
is opposed to immigrants (p. 395)
naturalization to grant full citizenship to a foreigner (p. 229)
neutral taking no side in a conflict (p. 163)
neutral rights the right to sail the seas and not take sides in
a war (p. 290)
neutrality a position of not taking sides in a conflict (p. 265)
New Deal the name given to the new laws aimed at relieving the Depression, which were passed by Congress
during the Hundred Days and the months that followed (p. 733)
nomadic moving from place to place with no permanent
home (p. 543)
nomads people who move from place to place, usually in
search of food or grazing land (p. 17)
nominating convention system in which delegates from the
states selected the party’s presidential candidate
(p. 337)
nonimportation the act of not importing or using certain
goods (p. 134)
normal school a two-year school for training high school
graduates as teachers (p. 413)
Northwest Passage water route to Asia through North
America sought by European explorers (p. 60)
nullify to cancel or make ineffective (pp. 271, 338)
O
offensive position of attacking or the attack itself (p. 463)
on margin to buy stock by paying only a fraction of the
stock price and borrowing the rest (p. 725)
Open Door policy a policy that allowed each foreign nation
in China to trade freely in the other nations’ spheres of
influence (p. 647)
open range land not fenced or divided into lots (p. 534)
ordinance a law or regulation (p. 196)
ore a mineral mined for the valuable substance it contains,
such as silver (p. 529)
override to overturn or defeat, as a bill proposed in
Congress (p. 505)
overseer person who supervises a large operation or its
workers (pp. 106, 403)
ozone the layer of gas composed of a form of oxygen that
protects the earth and its people from cancer-causing
sun rays (p. 944)
P
pacifist person opposed to the use of war or violence to
settle disputes (pp. 85, 686)
1012
Glossary
partisan favoring one side of an issue (p. 268)
patent a document that gives an inventor the sole legal
right to an invention for a period of time (p. 308)
Patriots American colonists who were determined to fight
the British until American independence was won
(p. 145)
patronage another name for the spoils system, in which
government jobs or favors are given out to political
allies and friends (p. 612)
patroon landowner in the Dutch colonies who ruled like a
king over large areas of land (p. 83)
peaceful coexistence agreement between opposing countries that they will compete with one another but will
avoid war (p. 820)
pension a sum paid regularly to a person, usually after
retirement (p. 743)
perestroika a policy of government and economic reform
in the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s (p. 926)
perjury lying when one has sworn an oath to tell the truth
(p. 807)
persecute to treat someone harshly because of that person’s
beliefs or practices (p. 76)
petition a formal request (pp. 148, 196)
philanthropy charitable acts or gifts of money to benefit the
community (p. 570)
pilgrimage a journey to a holy place (p. 42)
Pilgrims Separatists who journeyed to the colonies during
the 1600s for a religious purpose (p. 77)
plantation a large estate run by an owner or manager and
farmed by laborers who lived there (p. 55)
plurality largest single share (p. 335)
political machine an organization linked to a political party
that often controlled local government (p. 610)
poll tax a tax of a fixed amount per person that had to be
paid before the person could vote (p. 519)
pool a group sharing in some activity, for example, among
railroad barons who made secret agreements and set
rates among themselves (p. 559)
popular sovereignty political theory that government is subject to the will of the people (p. 218); before the Civil
War, the idea that people living in a territory had the
right to decide by voting if slavery would be allowed
there (p. 442)
Populist Party U.S. political party formed in 1892 representing mainly farmers, favoring free coinage of silver
and government control of railroads and other
monopolies (p. 550)
poverty line a level of personal or family income below
which one is classified as poor according to government standards (p. 847)
preamble the introduction to a formal document, especially the Constitution (pp. 151, 217)
precedent a tradition (p. 259)
prejudice an unfair opinion not based on facts (p. 392)
presidio–segregation
presidio Spanish fort in the Americas built to protect mission settlements (p. 54)
primary an election in which voters choose their party’s
candidate (p. 614)
privateer armed private ship (pp. 179, 297)
productivity how much work each worker does (pp. 710,
822)
prohibition the forbidding by law of the making or selling
of alcoholic beverages (p. 619)
Prohibition the nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale,
and transportation of liquor in the United States that
went into effect when the Eighteenth Amendment was
ratified in 1919 (p. 717)
propaganda ideas or information designed and spread to
influence opinion (pp. 137, 672)
proportional to be the same as or corresponding to (p. 203)
proprietary colony colony run by individuals or groups to
whom land was granted (pp. 83, 111)
protectorate a country that is technically independent, but
is actually under the control of another country
(p. 653)
public works projects such as highways, parks, and
libraries built with public funds for public use
(p. 727)
pueblo home or community of homes built by Native
Americans (pp. 29, 54)
Puritans Protestants who, during the 1600s, wanted to
reform the Anglican Church (p. 77)
quota system an arrangement placing a limit on the number of immigrants from each country (p. 718)
R
radical extreme (p. 501)
ragtime a type of music with a strong rhythm and a lively
melody with accented notes, which was popular in
early 1900s (p. 601)
ranchero Mexican ranch owner (p. 371)
rancho huge properties for raising livestock set up by
Mexican settlers in California (p. 371)
ratify to give official approval to (pp. 185, 211, 476)
ration to give out scarce items on a limited basis (p. 766)
realism an approach to literature, art, and theater that
shows things as they really are (p. 600)
rebate discount or return of part of a payment (p. 559)
Rebel Confederate soldier, so called because of opposition
to the established government (p. 464)
recall the right that enables voters to remove unsatisfactory elected officials from office (p. 614)
recession a downward turn in business activity (p. 709)
S
sabotage secret action by enemy agents or sympathizers to
damage a nation’s war effort (p. 686)
scalawags name given by former Confederates to Southern
whites who supported Republican Reconstruction of
the South (p. 510)
search-and-destroy mission a strategy used in Vietnam in
which American forces sought Vietcong and North
Vietnamese units to destroy them (p. 875)
secede to leave or withdraw (pp. 285, 338, 438)
secession withdrawal from the Union (p. 451)
Second New Deal a new set of programs and reforms
launched by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 (p. 744)
sectionalism loyalty to a region (pp. 322, 437)
sedition activities aimed at weakening established government (p. 271)
segregation the separation or isolation of a race, class, or
group (pp. 519, 838)
Glossary
1013
Glossary
Q
reconciliation settling by agreement or coming together
again (p. 514)
Reconstruction the reorganization and rebuilding of the
former Confederate states after the Civil War (p. 501)
recruit to enlist soldiers in the army (p. 165)
referendum the practice of letting voters accept or reject
measures proposed by the legislature (p. 614)
regionalism in art or literature, the practice of focusing on a
particular region of the country (p. 600)
relief aid for the needy; welfare (p. 727)
relocate to force a person or group of people to move
(p. 342)
Renaissance a period of intellectual and artistic creativity,
c. 1300–1600 (p. 39)
rendezvous a meeting (p. 357)
reparations payment by the losing country in a war to the
winner for the damages caused by the war (p. 690)
repeal to cancel an act or law (p. 134)
republic a government in which citizens rule through
elected representatives (p. 193)
republicanism favoring a republic, or representative
democracy, as the best form of government (p. 218)
reservation an area of public lands set aside for Native
Americans (p. 543)
reserved powers powers retained by the states (p. 219)
resolution a formal expression of opinion (p. 134)
revenue incoming money (p. 133)
revenue sharing money raised from federal taxes and
given to the states for use at the state and local levels
(p. 902)
revival a series of meetings conducted by a preacher to
arouse religious emotions (p. 413)
royal colony colony run by a governor and a council
appointed by the king or queen (p. 111)
Separatists–terrace
Glossary
Separatists Protestants who, during the 1600s, wanted to
leave the Anglican Church in order to found their own
churches (p. 77)
settlement house institution located in a poor neighborhood that provided numerous community services
such as medical care, child care, libraries, and classes
in English (p. 593)
sharecropping system of farming in which a farmer works
land for an owner who provides equipment and seeds
and receives a share of the crop (p. 512)
shareholder a person who invests in a corporation by buying stock and is a partial owner (p. 568)
shuttle diplomacy negotiations between nations carried on
by a person who travels back and forth between them
(p. 900)
silent majority the phrase used by Nixon to describe the
majority of Americans, those who did not protest or
demonstrate (p. 882)
sit-in the act of occupying seats or sitting down on the
floor of an establishment as a form of organized
protest (p. 849)
slave code the laws passed in the Southern states that controlled and restricted enslaved people (p. 405)
slum poor, crowded, and run-down urban neighborhoods
(p. 591)
smuggling trading illegally with other nations (p. 109)
Social Security Act a law requiring workers and employers
to pay a tax; the money provides a monthly pension
for retired people (p. 744)
socialist person who believes industries should be publicly
owned and run by the government rather than by private individuals (p. 686)
sodbuster a name given to the Plains farmer (p. 539)
speculator person who risks money in order to make a
large profit (pp. 125, 261)
sphere of influence section of a country where one foreign
nation enjoys special rights and powers (p. 647)
spiritual an African American religious folk song (p. 405)
spoils system practice of handing out government jobs to
supporters; replacing government employees with the
winning candidate’s supporters (p. 337)
square deal Theodore Roosevelt’s promise of fair and equal
treatment for all (p. 621)
stagflation a combination of rising prices and a sluggish
economy with relatively high unemployment (p. 903)
stalemate a situation during a conflict when action stops
because both sides are equally powerful and neither
will give in (p. 804)
standard gauge the uniform width of 4 feet, 8.5 inches for
railroad tracks, adopted during the 1880s (p. 558)
standard of living a measure of people’s overall wealth and
quality of life; a minimum of necessities and luxuries
that a group is accustomed to (p. 822)
1014
Glossary
states’ rights rights and powers independent of the
federal government that are reserved for the
states by the Constitution; the belief that states’ rights
supersede federal rights and law (pp. 271, 451)
steerage cramped quarters on a ship’s lower decks for passengers paying the lowest fares (p. 584)
stock shares of ownership a company sells in its business
which often carry voting power (p. 568)
stock exchange a place where shares in corporations
are bought and sold through an organized system
(p. 725)
strait a narrow passageway connecting two larger bodies
of water (p. 49)
strike a stopping of work by workers to force an employer
to meet demands (p. 392)
strikebreaker person hired to replace a striking worker in
order to break up a strike (p. 575)
subsidy grant of money from the government to a person
or a company for an action intended to benefit the
public (pp. 530, 733)
subsistence farming farming in which only enough food to
feed one’s family is produced (p. 101)
suburbs residential areas that sprang up close to or surrounding cities as a result of improvements in transportation (p. 592)
subversion an attempt to overthrow a government by persons working secretly from within (p. 806)
suffrage the right to vote (pp. 336, 426)
suffragist a man or woman who fought for a woman’s right
to vote (p. 616)
summit a meeting of heads of government (p. 820)
surplus excess; amount left over after necessary expenses
are paid (p. 815)
sweatshop a shop or factory where workers work long
hours at low wages under unhealthy conditions (pp.
573, 585)
T
tariff a tax on imports or exports (pp. 262, 338)
technology the application of scientific discoveries to practical use (pp. 40, 308)
Tejano a Mexican who claims Texas as his home (p. 363)
telegraph a device or system that uses electric signals to
transmit messages by a code over wires (p. 389)
temperance the use of little or no alcoholic drink (p. 413)
tenant farmer farmer who works land owned by another
and pays rent either in cash or crops (pp. 92, 402)
tenement a building in which several families rent rooms
or apartments, often with little sanitation or safety
(p. 591)
terrace a raised piece of land with the top leveled off to
promote farming (p. 26)
terrorism–yeoman
U
unalienable right a right that cannot be surrendered (p. 154)
unconstitutional not agreeing or consistent with the
Constitution (p. 262)
underemployment the condition when people work at jobs
for which they are overqualified or that do not utilize
their skills (p. 908)
Underground Railroad a system that helped enslaved
African Americans follow a network of escape routes
out of the South to freedom in the North (p. 422)
unemployment insurance payments by the government for a
limited period of time to people who have lost their
jobs (p. 744)
utopia community based on a vision of a perfect society
sought by reformers (p. 412)
V
vaquero Hispanic ranch hand (p. 536)
vaudeville stage entertainment made up of various acts,
such as dancing, singing, comedy, and magic shows
(p.602)
vertical integration the combining of companies that supply
equipment and services needed for a particular industry (p. 570)
veto to reject a bill and prevent it from becoming a law
(p. 349)
Vietcong the guerrilla soldiers of the Communist faction in
Vietnam, also known as the National Liberation Front
(p. 872)
Vietnamization Nixon’s policy that called for South
Vietnam to take a more active role in fighting the war
and for Americans to become less involved
(p. 885)
vigilantes people who take the law into their own hands
(pp. 377, 529)
W
War Hawks Republicans during Madison’s presidency
who pressed for war with Britain (p. 293)
work relief programs that gave needy people government
jobs (p. 733)
writ of assistance legal document that enabled officers to
search homes and warehouses for goods that might be
smuggled (p. 133)
Y
Yankee Union soldier (p. 464)
yellow journalism writing which exaggerates sensational,
dramatic, and gruesome events to attract readers,
named for stories that were popular during the late
1800s (p. 600); a type of sensational, biased, and often
false reporting (p. 650)
yeoman Southern owner of a small farm who did not have
enslaved people (p. 402)
Glossary
1015
Glossary
terrorism the use of violence by groups against civilians to
achieve a political goal (p. 944)
theocracy a form of government in which the society is
ruled by religious leaders (p. 23)
Tidewater a region of flat, low-lying plains along the seacoast (p. 105)
toleration the acceptance of different beliefs (p. 79)
total war war on all aspects of the enemy’s life (p. 490)
totalitarian a political system in which the government
suppresses all opposition and controls most aspects of
people’s lives (p. 754)
trade deficit the situation when the value of a country’s foreign imports exceeds the value of its exports (p. 911)
trade union organization of workers with the same trade or
skill (pp. 392, 573)
transcendentalist any of a group of New England writers
who stressed the relationship between human beings
and nature, spiritual things over material things, and
the importance of the individual conscience (p. 415)
transcontinental extending across a continent (p. 531)
triangular trade a trade route that exchanged goods
between the West Indies, the American colonies, and
West Africa (p. 102)
tribute money paid for protection (pp. 52, 289)
trust a combination of firms or corporations formed by
a legal agreement, especially to reduce competition
(pp. 569, 612)
trustbuster someone who breaks up a trust into smaller
companies (p. 621)
turnpike a road that one must pay to use; the money is
used to pay for the road (p. 315)